Willow Lake Area Community Foundation
What is the WLACF?
The “Willow Lake Area Community Foundation” is a permanently-endowed fund held through the South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) in Pierre. It’s like a “Community Savings Account” that will help fund local charitable giving and community-improvement projects.
How does it work?
Tax-deductible donations can be made to our Willow Lake Area fund. The money is managed and invested by the SDCF, so our fund will grow and prosper. Each year, our community will receive a distribution of 4.5% to spend on local projects, leaving the principal to continue to grow forever!
Who will benefit?
The communities in the Willow Lake School District – Willow Lake, Carpenter, and Vienna – will all benefit from this Community Foundation. Each year, the WLACF local board of directors will accept applications for how to spend the 4.5% distribution. Organizations from all our local communities may apply for these grants to fund important projects.
What kind of projects may be funded?
The Willow Lake Area Community Foundation could fund a wide variety of worthy causes. Here are a few examples: Volunteer fire departments. Youth in 4-H & FFA. Kids baseball & softball teams. Main street beautification. Parks & playgrounds. School academics & extra-curriculars. Museums, cemeteries, veterans causes. Economic development projects & more!
What’s the fundraising goal?
Our initial goal is to raise $200,000 for our Willow Lake Area Community Foundation. To boost our success and to make our local dollars go farther, we’ve been offered two exciting “challenge grant” opportunities!
If the Willow Lake Area Community Foundation can meet our fundraising goal of $200,000
by July 2025, then:
1. The South Dakota Community Foundation will grant us an additional $50,000! And…
2. An anonymous local donor will grant us an additional $50,000 on top of that!
We are grateful to the South Dakota Community Foundation and to our “angel investor” for these matching grant opportunities! If we succeed in creating this $300,000 fund, that means we will have (based on the 4.5% distribution rate) at least $13,500 to spend in our communities each and every year!
How do I get more information?
Willow Lake Area Community Foundation board of directors: Kim Bratland, Jack Schmidt, Carolyn Nichols, Bob Syring, Matt Vandersnick (chairman: call or text 605-233-0936).
Email: willowlakecommunityfoundation@gmail.com
Mailing Address: PO Box 322 * Willow Lake, SD 57278
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